The Toronto Blue Jays ended the New York Yankees’ winning streak while adding to their AL East rival’s woes at home on Friday night.

A big part of the Blue Jays’ success against the Yankees has come from their bats, as Toronto has scored eight or more runs in each of its last three victories over New York.

Ernie Clement drove in three runs on Friday night while Vladimir Guerrero Jr. extended his hitting streak to 15 games in the Blue Jays’ 8-5 win. Guerrero Jr. is currently tied for the longest active hit streak in the majors at 15 games (Bobby Witt Jr. of the Royals and Colton Cowser of the Orioles) and leads baseball in several categories during that time.

Guerrero Jr. has been on a mission during his hitting streak, leading MLB in batting average (.509), on-base percentage (.576), slugging percentage (1.091), OPS (1.667), extra-base hits (16) and total bases (60).

Fortunately for Guerrero Jr. and the Blue Jays, they will get a chance on Saturday to pile on more offence against Yankees starter Carlos Rodon, who has had his struggles this season.

One of Rodon’s outings in his rough stretch came against Toronto on June 27, when he allowed eight runs and 10 hits in five innings in a 9-2 loss. The left-hander is 1-2 with a 5.01 ERA in six career starts against the Blue Jays.

For the Blue Jays, José Berríos will look to record double-digit victories for the sixth time in his career. He is currently 9-8 with a 3.93 ERA in 2024.

In his last start, Berríos allowed one run on six hits in seven innings against the Texas Rangers in a 7-3 win. The right-hander has had his ups and downs against the Yankees in his career, going 4-7 with a 4.96 ERA in 13 regular-season games. In his last outing against New York, he allowed two runs in seven innings of work.

George Springer, who left Friday’s game with left shin bruise after fouling a ball off his leg in the sixth inning, will slot on as the designated hitter on Saturday, with Steward Berroa taking his spot in right field.

Springer went 1-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts and is hitting .229 with 13 homers and 41 RBIs. The 34-year-old is a four-time All-Star.

“We were planning on DH-ing him one of these games anyway,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider had said on Friday.

Recently acquired outfielder Joey Loperfido, who went 2-for-5 and scored two runs on Friday, will play in centre field, while Davis Schneider will play left.

For just the second time in seven years, the Blue Jays have a chance to clinch the season series against the Yankees. Watch the game on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ with first pitch scheduled for 1:05 p.m. ET/10:05 a.m. PT and Blue Jays Centreal kicking things off at 12:30 p.m. ET/9:30 a.m. PT.

The Toronto Blue Jays are gearing up to face off against their division rivals, the New York Yankees, in an upcoming series. After a strong showing on the offensive side of the ball in recent games, the Blue Jays are looking to build on their momentum and continue their winning ways against a tough opponent.

One of the key factors in the Blue Jays’ offensive success has been their ability to hit for power. Led by sluggers like Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, and Teoscar Hernandez, the Blue Jays have been able to consistently put runs on the board with home runs and extra-base hits. Guerrero Jr. in particular has been on a tear, leading the team in home runs and RBIs.

In addition to their power hitting, the Blue Jays have also been able to manufacture runs with timely hitting and aggressive baserunning. Players like Marcus Semien and Cavan Biggio have been able to get on base and set the table for the heart of the lineup, while speedsters like Randal Grichuk and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. have been able to take extra bases and put pressure on opposing defenses.

Defensively, the Blue Jays have also been solid, with a strong pitching staff led by ace Hyun Jin Ryu and a solid bullpen anchored by closer Jordan Romano. The pitching staff will need to be at its best against a potent Yankees lineup that features sluggers like Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and DJ LeMahieu.

Overall, the Blue Jays are feeling confident heading into their series against the Yankees. With their offense firing on all cylinders and their pitching staff performing well, they believe they have what it takes to come out on top in what promises to be a hard-fought series. Fans can expect an exciting matchup between two of the top teams in the American League East as the Blue Jays look to continue their climb up the standings.